Markings on the scorched surface of Mars have encouraged alien hunters to believe an ancient civilisation is dominating the landscape.

A statement from NASA revealed: “The Hellespontus region features numerous collections of dark, dune formations that collect both within depressions such as craters, and among “extra-crater” plains areas.

“Here, the steep, sunlit sides of the dune, called a slip face, indicates the down-wind side of the dune and direction of its migration.

“Other long, narrow linear dunes known as self dunes also here and in other locales to the east.”

The news comes after reports that scientists are baffled by a bright sphere found on the surface of Mars. The sphere is on a ridge in an area which was once underwater, but the lake has not existed for millions of years.

A narrator said: “It truly, truly doesn’t look like it belongs there. Look at the colour of it, look at the shape of it.”

He asks: “How much more proof do we need to tell the world that there is something on Mars that is not created by nature?”

The images were taken by the HiRise camera on NASA’s Mars orbiter.

Jan Frojdman, a Finnish filmmaker, transformed images from the HiRISE camera, aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, into a video using over 33,000 reference points – and did it without the aid of AI software.

Frojdman said: “There is a feeling that you are flying above Mars looking down watching interesting locations on the planet.

“There are really great places on Mars! I would love to see images taken by a landscape photographer on Mars, especially from the polar regions.

“But I’m afraid I won’t see that kind of images during my lifetime.”

In the past, the European Space Agency has found an enormous planetary pothole in Mars, suggesting evidence of a super volcano.

The findings come as new research has revealed Mars could have had one big moon instead of two smaller ones.